I COULDN'T HAVE BEEN STOPPED FROM MY LESSER HAJJ TRIP SAYS FAROUK LAWAN

The House of Representatives member, Farouk Lawan, who is at the centre of a bribery scandal involving oil marketer, Femi Otedola, denied on Thursday he was barred by security agents from travelling to Saudi Arabia.
Lawan said he informed the police of his trip and was given approval. He said the reports of his being stopped at the Lagos airport were untrue, and “manipulated by those persecuting him.”
The $3 million scandal has remained unsolved after he agreed receiving $620,000 from Otedola who also agreed giving the sum.

Police investigations had been dogged by the inability of the investigators to recover the marked notes used in a purported sting operation.
Reports say the police has finally completed the investigations and are awaiting further advice from the Attorney General’s office.
Lawan said that he was travelling for his lesser Hajj, having been granted bail, which terms he “scrupulously adheres to”.
He is presently in Saudi Arabia and will spend two weeks, his lawyer, Mike Ozekhome, said.
“It is amazing how a section of the media has continued to publish downright falsehood about Mr Lawan, cooking up imaginary stories with obvious sensationalism when same attention and space have not been accorded by the individuals and companies indicted by his committee,” he said.